Bilingual Being: My Life as a Hyphen

Written By A Survivor Of Childhood Abuse, This Moving Memoir Traces The Influence Of The Author's Mother Tongue In The Formation Of Her Identity, And The Role Her Second Language Played In Providing A Psychological Sanctuary. Kathleen Saint-onge Reflects On The Ambiguities Of Growing Up In A Primarily French Household While Attending English Schools As She Richly Recounts The Emotional Gains And Losses Of A Life Lived In Two Languages. A Testament To The Power Of Language In Determining Feelings Of Belonging Or Alienation, Bilingual Being Also Presents A Portrait Of The 1960s In Quebec And The Changing Role Of The Catholic Church. Depicting With Warmth And Humour Her Own Developing Independence Gained At School, Saint-onge Reveals The Tensions Between The Social World Of Her Evolving English And Her Deep Roots In French-speaking Quebec City. It Is An Exploration Of Hope Where Language Provides An Escape From Traumatic Memories And A Chance To Reconstruct A Secure Sense Of Self. Bilingual Being Is A Superbly Crafted Autobiography That Seamlessly Moves From The Remembrance Of Abuse To Observations Of Living Bilingualism And The Gradual Unfolding Of Recovery In Adulthood. It Is A Compelling, Beautiful, And Brave Narrative That Tells A Wider Story About Human Resilience And The Impact Of Language In Creating New Possibilities For Life.